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WHATS THE BEST TUNGSTEN "CHINA BALL" LANTERN?


Nicky Shotz

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Hey everyone, 

i am really wondering about what is the high end go to solution for a classic lantern setup? Like which manufacturer and fixture? 

I never really used them but planning to now on my next project. Is there a classic one? what do they use on big movies?

Thanks for your help

All the Best

N

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There’s a few options. 

The Jem Ball is a good. It needs to be rigged to a gobo head and comes in several sizes. They have different diffusion options and modifiers to skirt and control them. The large ones can take a 2k mogul bulb. Also have harps to fit Joker hmis. 
http://www.jemlighting.com/products.html

More bare bones is the lantern lock, which is a wired harp that fits regular paper lanterns. Again, needs to be rigged to a head or arm and is heavier than a traditional lantern. https://www.filmtools.com/lanternlock-24-mogul-socket.html

For what it’s worth, an electric who worked on “Carol” told me that Ed Lachman had them use just regular off the shelf paper lanterns with porcelain sockets to take photoflood bulbs, often hung with wire and string, and skirted with super light black vinyl tablecloth material. He may have used actual lantern lock or similar for more control on some shots. 
https://www.partycity.com/black-plastic-table-cover-roll-with-slide-cutter-54in-x-126ft-924455.html

I like the lightness and easy-to-hang nature of paper lanterns, so often opt for the plain ones that I can rig anywhere with my own sockets.  But if you’re looking for a more controllable option and value the quality of the light over it’s simplicity, then the Jem ball is very effective. 
 

-Tristan Noelle

 

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1 hour ago, Nicky Shotz said:

Ok great. 

Thanks a lot ! 

The biggest jemball is 30" tho?

Do you know what this here is (or is it just 30" ? looks so much bigger ? )

 

1.jpg

That looks like a Chimera pancake lantern, which is kind of a flattened out jem ball.


https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/218652-REG/Chimera_1865_Pancake_Lantern_Softbox_with.html

 

- Tristan

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